Condenser



Oct. 12 1926. 1,602,803

- J. H. WILHELM CONDENSER Filed 001,. 29, 1924 Patented Oct. 12,v 1926.

JOHN H. WILHELM, 0F ROCKAWAY BEACH, NEW- YORK.

CONDENSER.

Application iiled October 29, 1924. Serial No. 746,663.

This invention relates to a vernier device. While the device is particularly intended for use in connection with the operation of radio instruments and the like it is nevertheless adapted for various other uses as will be apparent.

An object of the inventionl is to provide a Vernier device for the purposes indicated which will be simple and practical in construction and highly efficient in use.

A more detailed object is to provide :a Vernier device adapted for imparting to the control shafts of radio and like instruments the more minute and accurate movements frequently required of said shafts, and including a separately mounted and independently operable handle so associated with the shaft as to be normally out of driving connection therewithbut so as to be readily moved into driving connection whenever desired.

A further object is to provide eiicient means to insure retention of the instrument shaft at any precise position to which it is moved by the vernier handle.

Otherobjects and aims of the invention, more or less specific than those referred .to above, will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the course of the following description of the elements, combinations, arrangements of parts and applications of principles constituting the invention, and the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated in the appended claims; 'V

In the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of this specification, and in which I have shown merely a preferred lform of embodiment of the invention Fig. 1 is a sideelevational view partially in vertical section `of a Vernier device constructed in accordance with this invention and showing the same in association with related parts of an appropriate 'radio instrument, and

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the vernier device as seen in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings for describing.

in detail the structure therein shown, the reference character L indicates any suitable type of instrument, such as a radio conenser, or the like, and having the usual control shaft 1 projecting forwardly therefrom through an aperture 2 of a panel board 3. An ordinary "dial han/dle as 4 may be connec'ted to the outer end of the shaft 1.

While the shaft 1 of instrument L may be mounted in any appropriate bearings a suitable bearing for this purpose is here shown to consist of a disk 5 fixed to the shaft by being clamped between a shoulder`6 and a clamp nut 7 on said shaft, a ball-race as 8 being provided upon the outer periphery of .sa-id disk.

A cooperating ball-race 9 is provided in -a carrier platel 10 fixed to the panel board in any suitable manner as for instance by screws or bolts extending through the openings 11 therein.

Balls 12 are arranged between the races 8 and 9 and provide an ideal form of support for the shaft 1.

The disk 5 is of sufficiently large diameter so that` the friction provided at its periphery by the balls12 constitutes an efficient medium for holding the shaft in any precise position to which it is rotated.

Fixed to the plate 10 and extending upwardly therefrom is a bracket G bent into' inverted U-shape and provided with front and rear bearings 13 and 14 within which is mounted the Vernier shaft 15 carrying an operating handle 16.

The shaft 16 is both rotatably and longitudinally movable in'the bearings 13- and 14 and in the space between said bearings is provided with a button 17 fixed thereto against which presses a spring 18 which for convenience is made to surround a portion of the shaft.

The spring 18 serves normally to urge the shaft and its button 17, outwardly through an opening 19 of the anel 3.

Carried also by the racket G is an idler wheel as 20 with which the button 17 is adapted to engage.

The wheel 20 is mounted upon a spherical bearing piece 21 projecting forwardly from the bracket G and is thus capable of universal movement Vupon its bearing, that is it may be not only rotated but it may be tipped to an angle by pressure of the button 17, which it will be noted is arranged to engage the peripheral portion of the wheel at one 'side of said peripheral portion whenever the shaft 15 is pressed inwardly. This tipping of the wheel 20 will move the peripheral portion of said wheel, which is diametrically below the button 17, forwardly and into engagement with an inner annular surface portion 22,0f a disk Hwhich is fixed to the shaft 1 of the instrument L in and is rotated.

any suitable manner as for instance by being held by the nut 7 on said shaft.

rlhe wheel 20 is preferably provided with a cushion tire as Q3 of rubber or other suitable material to receive pressure and motion from the button 17 and to transmit pressure and motion to the disk H.

The bracket G is preferably detachably connected to plate 10, as by means of bolts or the like as 24, so that said bracket and the parts carried thereby may be removed at will. These parts may thus be manufactured and sold as a separate article of manufacture adapted for use in association with the plate 10 and the parts carried there It will be seen that normally the wheel 2O will have either no engagement whatever with the disk H or so light an engagement as to be negligible and that thus said disk and its carrying shaft may be rotated freely byy means of the handle 4 and without irnparting movement to the wheel 20 or the vcrnier handle 16. A

Then it is desired to use the Vernier device the handle 16 thereof is pressed lightly inwardly against the tension of spring 18 The inward movement carries the button 17 against the upper edge of the wheel 2O and brings the lower edge against the disk H, and the subsequent rotation of the handle- 16 will impart a slow, steady, rotary motion to the disk H. When the disk has reached the desired point the spring 18 is allowed to return the handle 16 outwardly and to thus relieve the pressure of the wheel against the disk H, after which the friction present at the outer periphery of the disk 5 will hold the shaft 1 stationary.

By making the disk 5 of large diameter :1nd by providing a bearing comprising the balls and the opposed ball-races as indicated there is afforded an excellent thrust-bearing for resisting the sidewise pressure of the wheel 20 against the disk H without any likelihood of binding in said bearing.

As many changes could be made in this construction without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a Vernier device of the type indicated the combination with an instrument shaft havin@r a disk fixed thereto, of a vernier shaft having an operating handle thereon, and connections between said vernier shaft and said disk comprising a wheel n'rounted upon a spherical bearing adapted to be both rotated and tipped by said vernier shaft to operate said disk.

2. In a Vernier device of the type indicated the combination with an instrument shaft having a disk fixed thereto, of a bracket member readily attachable to and detachable from said instrument, said bracket having a Vernier shaft mounted therein, said bracket also having a wheel mounted therein adapted to be both rotated and tipped by said vernier shaft, and said parts carried by the bracket being arranged so that when the bracket is assembled with said instrument said wheel will provide a driving connection with said disk when said wheel is tipped and rotated.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN H. WILHELM. 

